Could impending monsoon block all-time high record in Phoenix?

By KTAR.com | June 19, 2017 at 5:30 pmUPDATED: June 20, 2017 at 11:06 am

In this Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2016 photo provided by Brody McMahan, a storm is seen over downtown Phoenix. The desert Southwest is poised to get a second soaking after monsoon rains rollicked the region, stranding drivers, flooding streets and prompting water rescues. (Courtesy of Brody McMahan via AP)

PHOENIX — The impending monsoon season could prove to be an insurmountable roadblock to setting a record for an all-time high temperature in Phoenix on Tuesday.

The National Weather Service has called for a high of 120 degrees that day, just shy of the record of 122 degrees set June 26, 1990.

Given that Monday’s forecast said it would be 116 and the mercury managed to creep to 118, reaching the all-time high seemed feasible.

However, the weather service reported thunderstorms in several parts of Arizona on Monday, which could lead to just enough moisture in the air to knock things down a few degrees and prevent a new record.

“The White Mountains and maybe along the (Mogollon) Rim could see a few isolated thunderstorms,” meteorologist Mark O’Malley said. “We’re starting to get a little moisture to creep in here, (but) it’s not a lot of moisture.”

O’Malley said the moisture is a typical indication the monsoon is gathering power, though the Phoenix area typically does not see storms until early July.

“The first signs that we’re going to start getting some monsoon storms and maybe some outflow winds that maybe will take down our heat later this week,” he said.

Should the 120 number be reached Tuesday, O’Malley said it would only be the third time in the city’s history a high of that nature was recorded.